Nightmares
by a proud geekfreak
Summary: Dreams can come true, but the XMen are about to find out nightmares come true as well. And for Scott, this could lead to his destruction. Set a week before X3, no spoilers.
1. Missing Time

"Last night, a young Caucasian girl, the age of twenty-six was at her apartment sleeping when a deranged man broke in and brutalized her. The girl was raped and had slashes all over her body with what appears to be claw marks. Everything in her apartment was destroyed and the same claw marks were found in the bedpost, the wall, the door and everywhere else. These claw marks found in the victim's apartment are consistent with the claw marks found in the victim. This piece of evidence leads police to believe that a Mu-" Scott Summers turned of the reporting fake blonde news anchor, who was just pretending to be appalled by the story she was reporting but inside she was really numb. Without her rattling on about the violent crime there was an uneasy silence in the room.

"Which Mutant do you think they will be after?" Scott asked rhetorically, giving a voice to everyone's communal thought.

"It doesn't matter what they'll think, it only matters if he did it or not, and I have a feeling he's innocent," Professor Charles Xavier responded, wheeling towards the door.

"It has his mark on it," Scott protested. "The evidence points to him, and that's all the public needs to have convict him and throw away the key."

"Scott, don't you think that is a little premature? Shouldn't we at least see what he has to say on the subject?" Charles asked as he open the door without lifting a hand.

"Fine," Scott replied stiffly.

"Actually Scott, I was thinking Strom and I would handle this alone."

Strom had been silent during the conversation, and kept silent sensing how Scott was bound to react.

"Why?"

"Because we don't want him feeling as though we think he's guilty, and if you're in the room he'll feel that way and then he'll never tell us the truth," Charles explained calmly as he open the door to the hallway. "Besides, we need someone to watch over the children in this school."

"Storm can do it," Scott offered in a heartbeat.

Charles sighed and a gave in. "Fine you can come, but we cannot accuse him of anything."

Scott gave a triumphant nodded, and they headed down to Logan's room.

When they entered Logan's room they found him passed out on his bed in a wife beater and jeans. He still had his boots on from last night. His bed was mess, it looked like he had a bad dream and attacked it. There were three deep slash marks on the pillow next to his head. Scott strode over to Logan and shoved his shoulder forcefully. When Logan didn't react Scott shook him harder, saying, "Get up now."

"Here, let me help," Storm offered after Logan still didn't stir. She conjured a small gray cloud above his head and commanded it to rain.

Logan groaned as he felt the soft rain dance on his face, but he jumped up once he heard the clap of thunder. Storm disarmed her cloud and smiled at him. "Good Morning Logan."

"Well good morning to you too Storm," Logan replied, giving her a devilish grin, Then he saw the Professor and added, "Good morning Professor." The next thing he noticed was the figure looming over his bed. He looked up. "Eyeball."

"We have a few questions for you," Scott told him coldly.

"What is this, an interrogation?"

"Only if you resist it," Scott informed him.

"No, it's nothing like that," Charles assured Logan. "We are just wondering about your whereabouts last night."

"Why, I miss curfew?"

"Just answer the question," Scott demanded.

"Scott…" Charles warned and then continued, "We just like to know where you were."

"I was out," Logan answered spitefully, getting defensive.

"Logan, there was an attack last night," Strom began.

"And you think I did it!" he snapped heatedly.

"No, I think the media is trying to make it look like you did it, so they would have justification to attack a Mutant," Storm told him calmly. "So we just need to know where you were last night and what you did."

"I didn't attack anyone," Logan snarled.

"Really, then what did you do?" Scott questioned suspiciously.

"I went out, got a beer, drank it, came back and fell asleep," Logan answered.

"You stink of whiskey," Scott commented.

"So it might have been more then one beer, sue me," Logan retorted.

"How do we know you didn't get drunk and go out an attack some girl?" Scott inquired, glaring at Logan behind his shades.

"Because I wouldn't do something like that," Logan shot back.

"There's blood on you knuckles," Storm commented softly.

Logan looked down and saw the dull red color of dried blood caked along his knuckles. "I probably hurt myself, or maybe it's ketchup," he offered hurriedly.

Scott laughed in disbelief and asked, "Have you seen the news?"

Logan shook his head and Scott hit a button on the wall causing a television to come out from the room's ceiling. "There's a TV in here?" Logan muttered in confusion.

"Maybe if you stuck around longer you would know that," Scott grumbled as he turned on the television to the news.

The news was showing pictures of the apartment and the claw marks. "Don't those look familiar," Scott said.

"That's not what my marks look like," Logan defended.

Scott picked up the slashed pillow just as the TV showed a picture of a slashed pillow. They were identical. "That doesn't prove I did it," Logan stated.

"This just in," the news anchor on the television said. "The police have just released a sketch of what the rapist looks like that they have obtain from the victim. Here is the sketch."

They flashed a sketch of a white man in his thirties, with dark hair, sideburns and hair that came up to a point on both sides. It resembled Logan strikingly well.

Scott rolled his eye and shut off the TV. Logan watched as the television went back into the ceiling and mumbled, "You gotta show me how to do that."

"Logan this is serious. If the media is trying to implicate you in this crime then we need to know the truth in order to help you," Charles told him.

"I don't know," Logan whispered.

"Logan you can trust us."

"No, I don't know where I was yesterday," Logan clarified, looking down at the ground.

"So you drank till you blacked out?" Scott suggested with a superior attitude.

"No!" Logan yelled. "I don't remember any of yesterday, other then I woke up around five and then fell back asleep."

"So how do we know you didn't do this?"

"Because I wouldn't do something like this!"

"But we don't really know that," Scott told him. "We don't know what you were really like before…"

Scott was attacking the lack of knowledge of Logan's past, and that pissed off Logan. "I'm not like that!" he roared.

"How do we know?" Scott yelled back.

"Scott, I think that's quite enough," Charles interrupted. "Now, there a student looking for me, so I am just going to say one thing before I go. Logan, I believe you and we'll sort this all out later. Come along Scott, I believe you can help."

As Charles wheeled out, Scott lingered behind for a moment. He gave Logan a look of disgust, shook his head and then followed the Professor out. Logan glared after him and then turned to Storm. "You believe me, right?"

Storm was silent for a moment and then said quietly, "I want to believe you Logan. From what I know about you I don't think you could have done this, but you have to look at all the evidence against you. It's hard to ignore." She gave Logan a remorseful look and then headed over to the door. She paused and while here back was facing him she said, "I'm sorry Logan, but it's how I feel."

She walked out leaving Logan alone.

* * *

"So, did Wolverine really attack someone?" Bobby asked while he sat in the mansion's kitchen with Rogue, Kurt and Scott later that day. 

"That's the way it looks," Scott answered. "The girl even gave the police a sketch that looks exactly like him, that is before she fell back unconscious."

"It must have been Mystique, Logan wouldn't do anything like that," Rogue defended.

"I agree," Kurt added in his thick accent. "I have only been here a few weeks, but I still have faith that he would not do such a bad thing."

"Listen, there's a lot of gaps in Logan's past that no one, not even Logan, knows about. For all we know he could have done this type of thing before," Scott explained.

"No, Logan wouldn't do that," Rogue stated firmly, anger flashing in her eyes.

Bobby got up and crossed over to the refrigerator, saying, "I mostly agree with Rogue. I don't think Logan could have done something like this, but then again, I don't really know what Logan's capable of. And we have to admit, Logan can be pretty scary sometimes."

As Bobby shut the refrigerator's door, Logan was standing behind it, snarling, "I'm scary, huh?"

Bobby jumped back in fear and replying, "No, that's not what I meant at all."

"It's what you said Ice Cube," Logan snapped.

"Because it's true Logan," Scott hissed at him, "no one knows what you're capable of and no one trust you."

Logan snarled at him, but Rogue went over to him and said, "I trust you Logan."

"Thanks Marie," he whispered, for only her to hear. He shifted his attention to Scott and growled, "Hey Eyeball, the professor wants to see us."

Scott got up and resentfully followed Logan out into the hall. Scott went to turn left, but stopped short when he saw Logan go right. "Where are you going?" he asked hostilely.

Logan glanced over his shoulder with a superior glare and said, "The Professor is down this way."

Scott watched as Logan walked down the hall, something in his gut telling him something was wrong, but still followed him down the hall. When Logan reached the door to the garage, Scott knew this wasn't right. "Logan, what are we doing down here?"

Scott was soon staring down three steel blades. "Give me the keys to the bike," a gruff voice demanded.

"Logan…" Scott voice drifted off, transparently show his fear of what he thinks Logan is capable of doing.

"I'm going out, and you're going to give me your keys," Logan explain, smirking.

"You can't go out, the police are looking for someone exactly like you!" Scott yelled.

"Then we better hope the police aren't looking where I'm going. Now give me your keys."

Scott shuffled through his pockets and resentfully handed over his keys. Logan hungrily took the keys and retracted his claws. Scott gave a small sigh of relief and Logan couldn't have that. He made a fist and swung. "Thanks for everything buddy," he said to the unconscious figure on the floor and then ran to the motorcycle to make his escape.

* * *

Hospitals smelt of two things, they smelt like death and smelt sterile. Death is an easily recognized scent for Logan. The smell is stuffy and makes you gag when you smell it. You feel almost as if you are going to suffocate on it. And a hospital needs to be sterile, so Logan supposed it made sense that it would smell like it. Still, the sterile death smell was strong enough to make even Logan's steel stomach gag. He didn't understand how doctors and nurses could stand it. 

He tapped a Candy Striper on her shoulder, and when she turned around he could not will himself to look at her, to let her see him. "Uh, can you tell me about the girl who was attacked and rape?" he asked gruffly.

"That monster killed her, that's what I can tell you," the Candy Striper spat angrily, and then added as an afterthought, "off record of course."

"She died," Logan repeated, staring off at a now empty hospital room.

"Yeah, and when they catch that freak who killed her, I hope they chop of his…" The Striper hesitated before observing, "You know, you look kinda familiar."

Logan felt his heart race as he turned away from outspoken girl. She didn't say where he looked familiar from because he knew and she knew. He knew what was coming next. She screamed, a high pitch squeal of panic and fright. Logan bolted towards the stairs, pushing doctors, nurses, patients, and a food cart out of his way while the girl behind him identified him to the hospital security as the murderer.

Logan had just made it out of the hospital as a blaring alarm, accompanied by flashing red lights went. He barely whipped around the corner of the hospital when the police squad cars came screeching to a halt and he kept running. His feet were traveling faster then his mind or else he would have thought to obtain Scott's bike and make a dash back to the Mansion, no instead he ended up hiding in the bushes at the park two blocks from the hospital.

As he took deep even breaths in the bushes, he heard something crinkle underneath his foot. He looked down annoyed and moved his foot away. There was the police sketch staring back at him on the front page of the newspaper. He snatched up from the ground, and while his hands were fighting with each other on whether to crumple it up or tear it to shreds his conscious just wanted that damning picture away from him, resulting in him tossing the newspaper as far away from him, land with the sketch facing down.

Now he was left to face the horrifying reality that became his life. He couldn't go back to the Mansion; the police would track him there. That would give the government a justified reason to invade the school, _again_, and Logan couldn't let that happen, _again_. He needed to do something that would throw the police off that scent, but what.

Logan finally figured out what he needed to do. He had to be spotted by someone, far away from this small New York town, made to appear as though he's on the run. The police would follow him, and the school would be safe. Marie would be safe.

Marie. It wasn't fair for her that this had to happen. He heard what she said to Scott. She was defending him, and though Scott didn't believe her she still stood up to him. She didn't deserve him running out on her like this, but it was the only way to protect her. He would call her, and at least tell her goodbye though.

And what would happen if the police caught him? Logan hadn't thought of that. If he were trapped would he fight his way out? That wouldn't make him any better then the Brotherhood.

Would he kill himself, and how? He was indestructible. Maybe if he cut off his head but where would he find a blade strong enough to slice through his metal bones. Could he strangle himself to death? It would be pretty hard to heal himself with no oxygen in his lungs.

No. Logan forced all thoughts of suicide out of his head. He wasn't going to kill himself over a case of mistake identity. This wasn't the first hard situation he's been in, and wouldn't be the last. Who or whatever was doing this to him wouldn't break him; he would stand up and fight.

But still, he wondered if suffocation could be a way to off himself successfully.

As Logan crept out of the bushes, he bumped into a large woman that smelt of flowers and body odor. She glare at him after he didn't offer an apology, and bent down to pick up the discarded paper, grumbling something about "litter bugs".

She scanned the first page of the newspaper and looked up at Logan who had only gotten two steps away from her. "Hey you," she called after him, "have you seen this news. Horrible, isn't it?"

"Yeah, horrible," Logan replied gruffly, stopping dead in his tracks, but didn't turn around.

"People today are just too soft and emotionally. They need to learn to get over their so called tragedies," the woman ranted.

"There are some things people can't get over," Logan replied coolly, thinking this woman to be a fool.

The woman laughed bitterly. "Please, this girl killed herself because her boyfriend of four and a half weeks broke up with her."

Logan turned around slowly, and snapped, "What are you talking about?"

"This," the woman held up the newspaper. "The rate of suicide has spiked."

Logan stared bewildered at the newspaper. Instead of a rough sketch of him, there was a picture of a high school girl with friends smiling and then another picture of her dead in the bathtub with slit wrists. He looked up at the woman and requested, "Can I have that?"

* * *

A/N: I've had this story bouncing around my head for over a year almost, so I hoped you like it. and now remains the question what really happen to Logan? feedback would be great and I hope you really did like it. 


	2. Educing the Dawn

Nothing made sense anymore. Logan felt like he was in Wonderland, and there was no grinning Cheshire cat to guide him. First he was accused of rape and murder, now it as if nothing happened. Any evidence that that crime was ever real was gone. Logan even ran into a police officer while he was retrieving Scott's bike from the hospital's garage, and found out there hadn't been a rape in this small town since 1994. Nothing made sense anymore.

Logan parked the bike back in the garage, he was figure there would be no harm in returning back the Mansion now. He still had the newspaper from early, and as he walked down the hall he held it in his hands debating on whether to wake the Professor and try to get some answers, or leave it till the morning.

_But tomorrow the media might say I'm an escaped mental patient who thinks he's a hippo_, Logan mused bitterly.

"Are you enjoying your trip down the rabbit hole?" a soft feminine voice asked from the shadows.

Three blades slithered of Logan's hand in an instant, as he turned to where the voice came from. "Who's there?" he barked.

"Oh, just a nightmare," the voice answered lightly. "Apparently the one you've been having all day."

Logan sneered at her. In the darkness of the hallway, Logan could only make out the outline of the girl speaking; he could tell it was a girl by her shadow, and the faint trace of a wild grin.

"So, if I fell down the rabbit hole, does that make you the Cheshire puss?" Logan question, keeping his distance from the girl.

"It was Cheshire cat," she corrected.

"Ah, but Alice calls him Cheshire puss when she first meets him at the Duchess' kitchen in the book," Logan replied smugly.

"How did you know that?" the voice asked cautiously. "I didn't take you for one who reads."

He didn't remember how he knew that. He never recalled reading it, but yet his mind still knew the answer. "Well, I'm full of surprise Puss."

The girl didn't respond, which slightly annoyed Logan. He could always get a rise out people from the nicknames he gave them, especially one such as "Puss". "So Puss, you got a name and a reason for being here?"

"How was your day Logan?" she shot back defensively. "Was it a… Nightmare?"

"So that's your name, Nightmare?" he clarified.

"And to think Wolverine, they call you just a dumb animal," she taunted.

"So, is there a reason why you're here other then making my day a living hell?"

"You did that yourself," she answered. "It was your fear."

"So what, your power is to tap in on my fear?" Logan asked, taking a step towards her. If that was her only power, Logan figured he could take her.

"Oh you wish it was that simple, but my power is much strong then just tapping your fear. However, I don't expect a dumb animal like you to comprehend my power," she said in an airy voice. She was taunting him, waiting for him to attack.

"Is it as strong as this?" Logan asked as he rushed his fist forward, the blades ready to slice.

Logan grunted in confusion as his blades made contact in the wood wall. Nightmare had not move. She grinned that mad grin of hers and said simply, "You've got bad aim."

"I'll show you bad aim," Logan grumbled as he swung at her with his free fist. The next thing he knew his blades had pierced through his skin in the arm that was still stuck in the wall. Logan cringed with pain, snarling at her. He had not done this; something else had moved his arm.

"Oh, another thing about my _powers_, I have telekinesis," she whispered in his ear softly.

Logan swiftly pulled the blades out of his forearm, feeling them heal instantly leaving a small stinging behind, and readied himself for another attack. He glared at this hidden danger. The shadows hid her perfectly, along with her secrets. Everyone had a secret weakness, he just needed to see hers. If only he could shed some light on the problem.

Light. Expose her to the light and figure out her secrets. He took a step back, planning his attack.

"Running away? What happen to being a fierce wolverine? They should change your name to chicken," Nightmare taunted.

"Here's a question for ya Puss, what happens when a nightmare is exposed to the dawn?" Logan asked with a smirk.

She looked at him through the shadows, wondering what he was getting at. "It ends," he answered for her, sinking his claws into the wall behind him.

A piercing buzz filled the empty corridor, accompanied by sparks from the wall, till light illuminated the mansion, revealing Nightmare.

Logan retracted his claws and stared in awe of the girl in front of him. Only a few years older then his Rogue, she looked up at the new lights dazed like a deer in headlights. Something about her was familiar, something that made Logan drop his guard. The sound alerted her and she dropped her gaze to him. And just as soon as Logan dropped his guard, he had it back up.

The fear and intensity in her eyes reminded Logan to be weary of this girl, and the colour displayed her fiery passion and dangerous nature. Logan had seen her eyes before she put up her defensives. Specks of gold and red merged together, shimmering together to make a warming glow. Yet once her defensives were triggered again her eyes went to a broody, intense brown.

Her eyes shifted from Logan to the uncertain fate that was waiting at the end of the corridor. Stand here and fight, or run. Running seemed the best option.

Logan felt a force against his chest that sent him tumbling to the floor. Before his head hit the floor he heard footsteps running down the corridor. "Get her!" he yelled, hoping someone capable of stopping her was awake and near.

Nightmare heard him yelled, her heart racing hoping he wouldn't wake anyone. She ran around a corner, terrified she'd reach a dead end and be trapped, but thankfully she just found a flight of stairs. Up the stairs she ran at a soft thud, feeling like a frighten mouse scampering away at any slightest noise.

As she gained momentum up the stairs she found she wasn't the only one there. A man stood at the top, being woken up from the noise, stared down the stairs bewildered and groggy. His appearance hindered her from her journey to salvation, but only for a moment. Nightmare actually found his appearance amusing. Deep blue skin with golden brown upraised tattoos, three fingers hands, and pointed ear like an elf's. It was all very amusing until she saw his fangs when he spoke in his deep German accent.

"Vas is go-?" he asked, rubbing his eye.

Sadly enough for this new blue man, he never got his answer. Nightmare bounced up the stairs, straight at him. And even more sadly, this man couldn't get out of the way in time. The two night birds hit each other, but she knocked him with such a force that he stumbled and fell down the stairs.

Nightmare sent a small glance over her shoulder to watch as the blue stranger fell, only to see a devilish tail uncurl and whip around her ankle, forcing her down as well. Together they tumbled down the stairs, landing in uncomfortable positions.

As she scrambled to get up, she ended up tripping over the azure man's legs, while there were the soft sounds of feet running down the corridor. The man had also picked up on the sound, and remembered hearing Logan yell out, "Get her." He wondered if this girl was the cause for commotion, and decides to pin her down.

She struggled to get up again, but his legs were keeping her on the ground. She glared at him and asked, "What's your name?"

"I vas known as the Amazing Nightcrawler in the Munich Circus," Kurt answered her, holding his head up proudly.

"And I vas known as the Terrifying Nightmare," she replied mocking his accent.

He glowered at her, but as his yellow orbs meet her brown eyes something strange happened. Her eyes began to morph, changing in colour. It began slowly with Nightcrawler notice specks of gold against the brown. The gold brighten her eyes, revealing the red fragments in her eyes. As he continued to stare, the red colouring expanded taking over completely leaving her eyes a fierce red and glowing.

The change in colour began to scare Kurt but he couldn't look away, her eyes were mesmerizing. Even when he heard Logan coming, he couldn't tear his golden eyes away.

It was bewitching, that could be the reason for what happen next.

Kurt's tail twitched, yearning to move across this girl's body and wrap around her tightly. Then his tail did what it wanted, and Nightmare felt that devil tail slither up her leg and wrap around her waist.

"What the hell!" Logan yelled when he saw Nightmare and Kurt. Kurt had his tail wrapped around the girl who had attacked him earlier, and the girl's eyes were glowing red. Neither of them appeared as though they heard him, but they must have because in the next second, _bamf_, they were gone leaving the faint scent of brimstone.

* * *

A/N: yeah, I know not a lot of Scott in this, but I swear there will me much more in a couple chapters. 


	3. Exploration

A/N: I know the last chapter kind of ended at a weird place, but I had to spilt this up or else the chapter would have been almost 8 pages long and that's far too long, so here's the other part to the previous chapter

* * *

She went limp. Her eyes died down, returning to a murky brown. Kurt's tail was the only thing that was still holding her upright, and with that tail wrapped securely around her waist Kurt gently lowered her down on his bed. 

She wasn't moving, and Kurt was becoming worried. Bamfing usually took a lot out of first timers, but none of them had passed out during the trip. Kurt took her wrist in his hand and felt for a pulse, praying for the best.

His prayers were answered when he saw her eyes slowly open. This small action consumed most of the little energy Nightmare had left. She moved her mouth, trying to say something yet nothing came out. All of her energy was drained, even when she tried to lift her arm up she failed.

"Elf! Elf! Where'd you go?" Logan could be heard from two floors down. Kurt glanced anxiously down at the floor towards the sound of the voice.

"Think he'll forgive you?" she asked, barely able to make her voice above a whisper.

"What do you mean?" Kurt replied, glancing back towards her.

She took a deep breath, building up energy. "Think of all the wrong deeds you've done. If anyone here found out about them, would you still be accepted then? And look what you just did; you help the girl who beat Wolverine up escape." Kurt looked down guiltily, for he had helped her escape. However, he also looked worried and Nightmare knew it had to do with all his past sins.

"ELF!" Logan's roar echoed through the corridor.

Kurt got up, went across his room, and opened his door. "Wolverine, she's up here."

She swung her legs around, forcing herself to sit up. "Forgive me Nightcrawler," she whispered, and then the door slammed shut.

"I vill Nightvare, only if you forgive me," he responded, walking over to her.

He was standing over her now and she nods in agreement, saving her energy for the trip. She feels his thumb and two fingers grasp her arm and then _bamf_.

Logan spun around at the scent of brimstone. Nightmare was lying on the ground taking deep breaths and Nightcrawler standing over her. Logan smirked, and out come his claws. "Thank you Elf," he said crazily.

"Wolverine, you von't hurt her, right?" Kurt inquired naively.

"No, no, go get the Professor and Storm," Logan answered never taking his eyes off of the girl. Kurt nods and he quickly teleported away. "Good, now we're alone Puss."

She didn't reply her strength needed to be conserved. "Come on Puss, not even an meow?" Logan taunted, bending over her.

"Meow," she patronized.

"That's a good Puss," he said bring his blades in her eyesight. "Now tell me, which do you think is sharper, my claws or your claws? You do have claws don't you Puss?"

"Only figuratively speaking," she answered weakly.

"Shame," he states with a large grin and then swiftly brought his claws down.

Nightmare inhaled sharply and winced. Her head stung, but the rest of her was unharmed. Her psychic barrier remained intact, but force against it stung.

"So, you've got a force field huh? I can break it," Logan commented to her gruffly and began punching at her, his claws and fist kept knocking against the invisible force field.

She kept wincing every time his fist pounded into her barrier, and soon she was curled up in a ball, moaning in pain. She couldn't hold it up much longer and his hits were progressively getting fiercer. "Stop!" she groaned, but felt her energy leave her.

Her barrier was down; she couldn't even lift a hand to defend herself when something strange even to her happened. Logan pulled his arm back for deadly punch when his claws retracted, painfully, back into his hand. He stopped in horror and looked down at his newly bare hands, unable to bring his claws out again. "What did you do to me!" he roared.

He glared at her, but stop when he saw her change in character. She was standing now, her energy rejuvenated, and her eyes glowing red. "Come on Wolverine, play with me. Don't you want to play?" she asked in a deranged voice.

"All right, I'll play," replied Logan, swinging his fist at her.

She stepped to the side, dodging his fist and sent him a kick in the stomach. Logan was surprised by the force, but recovered quickly and sent another punch. She blocked it and threw him a punch that he blocked. The fought forcefully, but they seemed to be too equal. It was a stalemate until Logan threw a punch and Nightmare caught it in her hand. She rapidly twisted his arm, and bent it backwards. He groaned in pain, and she forced him to his knees. She stared down at him, and her eyes began to fade back to the main colour of brown with gold and red specks sprinkled in. She smiled at him kindly at him and said, "Goodnight Wolverine." She kicked him in the head and he fell to the side unconscious.

She walked calmly down the corridor with her goal in mind, though she didn't know her way about the Mansion. With Wolverine out of the way Nightmare felt sure she could obtain her goal, even though she didn't know where her goal lay in this maze of hallways and rooms. Well, it had to be one of these rooms, so with cool determination she forced the door open without lifting a hand.

There was a small light coming out of a sleeping girl's hand, it sparked and crackled with a light orange glow. The room smelt faintly of smoke, the only reason the odor wasn't stronger was because the girl left window open.

Nightmare began to silently rummage through the girl's things. She picked up the girl's physics binder and noticed the name Jubilee scribbled across the top. Next, she noticed the teacher's name, Scott Summers. Well, know she was sure she was in the right place, but she still didn't know the exact location.

Nightmare froze when the crackle and pop of the light stopped. Jubilee turned over in her bed and then continued to sleep. Nightmare put the binder down and silently exited the room, shutting the door softly behind her.

She strode to the end of the corridor and tried another room. She listened carefully and detected two sets of bodies breathing in the dark, and one was awake.

The light flicked on and Nightmare saw a teenager girl with brown hair in an awry, staring at her with confusion and the undertone of fear. "Who are you?" the girl asked, still staring.

Nightmare smirked and watched in amusement as this girl's eyes went wide with horror when Nightmare's eyes morphed into the intimidating, illuminated red colour. Then the girl screamed, "Rogue, help!"

Rogue groaned, rolled over in her bed and snapped, "What Kitty?" Then she saw the woman with glowing red eyes and Kitty began to slowly phase through the bed. "Oh my god!"

"Rogue!" Kitty called, fear and desperation in her voice. "I can't control it!" Her feet had already phased through the bed and she couldn't pull them out.

Rogue glanced over at the Nightmare and their eyes connected. Nightmare grin wildly and all thoughts of Kitty were abounded. She had a more interesting play toy now.

Rogue broke eye contact quickly and ran to Kitty. Kitty's thighs were sinking into her mattress and she was staring to panic. Rogue ran to her, grabbing her gloves off the nightstand. She put them on quickly while saying, "Kitty, I'm going to grab you and pull you out, okay? Try to think solid things okay?"

Kitty nodded vigorously, on the edge of tears. "Please help me."

Rogue nodded and asked, "Ready?" Kitty nodded, and Rogue grabbed her arm. She counted to three in her head and then pulled hard. Kitty was surprisingly light and Rogue was able to get her out of her bed, but Kitty couldn't solidify herself. She ended up with her waist and up on above the floor, while her legs went through the floor. She looked around and started to cry when she realized she was in the floor. Rogue knelt down next to her friend and placed a hand on her shoulder encouraging. Then an idea struck her.

"Kitty, I'm going to pull you out of the floor, but I'm going to try and absorb just enough of your power so you become solid again, okay?" Rogue told her kindly.

Kitty nodded through her tears and Rogue slowly took of her glove. She quickly grabbed her friend's bare arm, pulled her up and let go once Kitty was fully out of the floor. Kitty landed with a thud on the floor and let out a sigh of relief. Then she completely phased through the floor.

Nightmare let out a rough laugh and gave Rogue a round of applauses. "Good job, your friend is probably sinking to the center of the earth thanks to you."

Rogue stood up and readied for a fight. Nightmare chuckled at her and mocked, "Oh that's right, use your special power to absorb mine. Then I get in your head, and do you really want that? Someone as powerful as me in your head? Who would be there to stop me from taking over _you_?"

Rogue's stance dropped. She looked at Nightmare worriedly. She already had enough trouble keeping Magneto's voice out of her thoughts. The last thing she wanted was another powerful voice in her head.

Nightmare took step closer to her and grinned. However, this gave Rogue enough space to get away, she just had to be fast. And fast she was, but Nightmare was right behind her. She backed Rogue in a corner, with her eyes glowing their fierce red taunting her. "Aw, why don't you give me a hug Rogue? Come on, can't we be friends? Don't friends give each other hugs?"

"Stay away from her!" a gruff voice yelled from behind Nightmare. She didn't have to turn around, she knew who it was. She had seen the relief in Rogue's eyes when she saw him coming.

Even if Nightmare needed to turn around to figure out Logan was behind her, she wouldn't have time to. Logan picked her up hastily and threw her against the wall, returning the favor of being knocked unconscious.

* * *

A/N2: yeah, Scott comes in during the next chapter and pretty much stays in the story after that. but for now, ta-da! and honestly, what do you as readers think of Nightmare? 


	4. Waking Up with Relief

Storm ran as fast as her legs could this late at night, after been woken up so abruptly. She almost floated down the stairs she was going so fast. She was scared to death when Kurt woke her up saying someone was attacking the Mansion, part of her thought it was the government again, and another part thought it was the Brotherhood. However, she didn't really care where this assailant was from as long as they could be stopped before they hurt or kill someone. That's what truly motivated her to run as fast as she did.

Storm wasn't sure how she felt when she saw Logan pick up a lifeless body of a strange girl and fling her over his shoulder. Part of her felt relief knowing that the assailant was caught, but this scene also troubled her because this girl was barely older then some of her students.

"Logan what happened?" Storm asked, coming towards them.

Logan growled something unintelligible and Rogue explained, "This girl came into our room and her eyes changed."

"Changed, changed how?"

"They started glowing red, and then she did something to Kitty."

"What did she do to Kitty?"

"Kitty began to phase through her bed and she couldn't stop. And I tried to pull her out but it didn't work and then she phased through the floor," Rogue told her quickly.

"What! We've got to stop her. Logan, you" Storm began.

"There will be no need for that Ororo," Charles stated calmly. "Katherine is a little shaken from her unexpected surge of power, but is safe on the first floor. I think however we should get this lady down to lab for medical assistance." He started to lead the way down and then added, "Oh, and Logan, while we're there you should have your arm looked at. I know it's hurt."

Rogue and Storm glanced over to the indestructible man with steel enforced bones. He was nursing the arm that Nightmare had twisted. Rogue ran up to him and asked, "Logan are you all right?"

"It's nothing kid, there's no need to worry," Logan assured her. He shifted Nightmare on his shoulder and said, "Come on I want to put her down, she's kinda heavy."

Nightmare lay unconscious in the plain white medical lab with wires over her body jumbling together going back into a machine. Storm and Charles stood by her bed, while Rogue was assisting the medical helper with taking an x-ray of Logan's arm, much to his protest.

"Professor, can you read her mind?" Storm asked after several minutes of uneasy silence filled with unasked and unanswered questions.

"No," he answered her sadly, "her mental shield is too strong. I feel as though another force is contributing to it, just to make sure I stay out of it."

"But which mutant as a power to do that, and why would they?" Storm asked, though she knew she would probably not get an answer.

"I knew of one mutant, but I don't know why they would," Charles said, it wasn't an answer more of thinking out loud.

"Logan please calm down!" They heard Rogue say in the other room. Logan's response to her was grunt.

He came charging in the room, blades out ready for an assault. He went quickly to Nightmare's bed and was stopped by Storm, who had gotten used to his even shorter temper after Jean's death. "Logan, what's wrong?"

He scowled and retracted his claws; mad he didn't get to shred the girl to pieces, but didn't answer his friend.

"She fractured his arm," Rogue answered for him, holding the x-ray in hand. She showed it to them, and they all saw a small, but well-defined crack in his metal bones.

"My word, her mind is strong," Charles mused to himself. "I am right in assuming she must have used her mental power along with her physical power to get such a fracture in your bones."

Logan continued to scowl. Charles smiled to himself and said coolly, "Storm, would you please assist Rogue while Logan gets fitted for an arm brace."

"I don't need a brace," Logan protested.

"There's no need to worry Logan, with your healing factor I'm sure the most you'll have to wear the brace is for a few days," Charles insisted, and that was that. The three of them filed out of the lab just as Scott was entering it. "Hello Scott, I see you brought your extra sunglasses."

He nodded. "Why did you need these?"

Charles rolled towards the girl on the table and just looked at her. Finally he said, "This girl has a strange gift. However, I will need to speak with her to determine if whether my theory about her powers are correct or not."

"What do you think her powers are?" Scott asked halfheartedly. He was unshaven and had a sullen appearance about him. He stopped caring about things ever since Alkali Lake, and so far he hasn't cared enough about this girl to even look at her.

"She can detect people's biggest fears and then make them happen."

Scott's interest was peaked. He looked at the girl and his heart leaped. Her face, sweet and smooth, was so familiar to him. He took a step closer to the girl and picked up a lock of hair in-between her fingers. Brown with strands of red mingling together, but the red strands shone against the brown backdrop. "Jean," the word escaped from Scott's lip without him meaning to.

"Yes, I also see the resemblance," Charles told him kindly.

"But…" Scott paused trying to get over seeing his dead love's face in this girl's face. "But why do you need my glasses then?"

"She taps into people's fear by eye contact. I theorize that the same technology, which blocks your ocular energy beams, should also block her power. It is just a theory though," Charles clarified, as he lifted the glasses with his mind and placed them on the girl's face.

Scott watched with distaste. He had spent a good part of his life forced to wear those sunglasses, and didn't feel as though this girl should be forced to wear them as well. Of course he didn't know how scared and shaken Kitty was now, afraid she might lose control that every time she thought about it she had to fight back tears. He didn't know how only hours ago Logan was considering taking his life because of what the girl did to him. He didn't know that from now on whenever Rogue looked at this girl she would be reminded that every time she absorbed someone they would remain in her and could possibly overwhelm her.

But Scott didn't know all that, he just knew he felt a connection with this girl and wanted to protect her.

"I'll stay with her," Scott offered.

Charles nodded with a smile. "Very well. Be sure to call us if anything changes."

Scott sat grabbed a chair and sat down next to the girl while Charles left. He continued to stare at her, and the concept of time was lost on him. He could have sworn that only moments passed after Charles left that the girl stirred, but the reality of it was much longer.

It began with a twitch of her hand, and after a couple seconds she fought against her arm restraints, trying to remove the glasses. She let out a panic whimper and Scott took her hand in his. At first she tensed up, but then he soothed, "It's all right. Everything is going to be all right."

She relaxed and turned her head towards the man who was comforting her. He managed a small smile and said, "I'll remove the glasses, but you've got to stay calm, all right?"

She nodded, but she had already morphed her eyes ready for an attack. Scott unaware of this removed the glasses. He stared at her red eyes, unaffected by the unusual colour and slowly her eyes adjusted back to her natural colour of red and gold specks dancing in the brown background.

"Hi," he said softly.

"Hi," she responded just as softly.

"I'm Scott, what's your name?"

"I'm called Nightmare."

"But what's your name sweetie?"

She shrugged and looked up at him helplessly. "Why don't you know?" he asked, giving her hand a comforting squeeze.

"I just don't know, I woke up one morning and I didn't remember anything," she told him, looking away.

Scott stroked her head and said, "That's okay." He continued to stare at her and then a name popped in his head. "Can I call you Sophie? You seem like a Sophie to me."

She smiled at the name and nodded. "Thank you."

"So Sophie, what brings you to the Mansion?" Scott asked.

She shrugged and answered simply, "I heard this place was good to mutants."

"We are." Scott eyed the restraints she was in and began to untie her. Once she was free he helped her off the bed and asked, "Are you hungry?"

* * *

A/N: Scott is here! ta-da! more Scott to come! 


	5. Connections

yeah, I know it's been a while and this chapter is short, sorry.

* * *

Sophie sat at the kitchen while Scott looked through the refrigerator. Neither of them spoke, and what should have been an awkward silence there was a strange ease. The two didn't need to say anything to each other, there was something unspoken that drew these two together. She felt safe around him, something she hasn't felt in a long time and he could see the love of his life in her face, and that was all he needed.

Scott placed some bread, mayo, turkey, cheese and lettuce on table. He pulled out a knife and began to make a sandwich without a word. She watched curiously and he kept glancing up at her. Finally one of them spoke. "Mayo or no?"

She shook her head and he handed her a sandwich. She nodded her thanks and took a bite. They sat there chewing in peace when halfway through his sandwich Scott asked, "Where have you been living?"

Sophie swallowed and answered, "Well, on the street at first, but then I found a small apartment that I've been living in." She obviously hesitated and then added, "There was another Mutant that helped me out. He showed me the apartment and told me about this place."

"I'm glad he did," Scott replied and Sophie smiled warmly at that.

After she took another bite of her sandwich she asked, "So Scott, where did you get the name Sophie?"

Scott shrugged, thinking about it. He couldn't remember at first, but then it came to him. "Jean liked the name. I never did like the name, but then I saw you and it just seemed to fit."

"Who's Jean? Will I get to meet her?"

Scott shook his head and told her, "She died, about three weeks ago."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

Scott looked at her and then smiled slowly. "Come here, I want to show you something."

Sophie held a picture of a woman with red hair and kind face, while she stood in Scott's room. "She's beautiful," she said.

"You look a lot like her," Scott informed her. She shook her head in disbelief, but Scott protested, "No, you do. You have her smile and I see some red in your hair."

"You must have really loved her," she said, glancing up at him.

"You couldn't not love her. She was beautiful and kind to everyone, the most wonderful person you could ever meet." Sophie listened to him gush, smiling. As he continued to talk about Jean he felt at peace and he started to smile, something he hadn't done in weeks. He found himself talking about his favorite traits that Jean had and their plans for the future.

"She wanted her own house, a small two story house, with a lawn and a picket fence, you know? The dream house of most females. She had grown up in that kind of house, and she wanted to raise a child in that environment as well. And she always wanted a girl, I wasn't too sure if I wanted kids or not, but I would have preferred a boy to a girl. Of course, now I think I would have been very happy with girl." At this point he stopped and stared at Sophie beaming. She looked back at him, smiling and looking completely at ease as he was.

'_Scott, would you mind bringing your friend down to my office?'_ The Professor's voice broke into his train of peaceful thoughts.

Scott frowned and Sophie asked, "Is something wrong?"

He sighed and said, "I was just thinking you probably don't want to hear about Jean."

She shook her head. "No, I find it interesting. I'm sorry I never got to meet her, she sounds fantastic."

He smiled at her comment. "Well you must be tired then." It was a statement, not a question.

"I guess a little," she replied, giving him a strange look.

"Good, then you stay here and rest up. I'll come get you for dinner," he told her and quickly left the room while she said, confused, "Thanks."

Scott rushed in Charles' office to find Storm, Logan and Charles waiting for him. Logan jumped to his feet when he saw Scott was alone. "Where is she?" he growled, his newly grown claws jumping out of his skin.

"She's safe," he replied coolly.

"Not for long if I get my hands on her," Logan muttered to himself, which caused Scott to glare at him.

"Logan," Charles warned softly. He turned to Scott and inquired, "Scott, is there a reason you felt the need to leave the girl in the safe place you previously mentioned?"

"Well, she was tired and I thought it would be better to let her rest," Scott answered, turning his attention from Logan.

"That's very considerate of you, but I still need to talk to her," Charles informed him.

"I really don't think that's a good idea."

"Why is that Scott?"

He glared towards Logan and answered, "I think she would just be over whelmed by all the attention from _everyone_."

Logan smirked when he heard Scott stress "everyone" and replied, "Last night she didn't seem to mind. In fact, I think she wanted the attention."

"Logan, that's enough," Charles warned him. He turned his gaze to Scott and studied his demeanor. Scott had become sullen and withdrawn after Jean's death, but now he was no longer sullen. He still was withdrawn, but he was also protective and defensive of something, something he wouldn't discuss freely with Logan and Storm in the room.

'_Scott, what has happened to you?'_ Charles asked silently. _'Why are you so protective of this girl?'_

'_I think she is my daughter,'_ was Scott's answer.


	6. Fighting

yes, some of you might have been surprised by last chapter's ending, where Scott confessed he thought Sophie was his daughter. so here is more of this story, and thanks for everyone who reviewed!

* * *

Charles let a troubled silence fall across his office like snow from a nor'easter. He continued to stare at Scott with a look of shock, disbelief and confusion. Storm and Logan glanced at each other, knowing they had missed something important, but couldn't speculate what.

Finally, Scott ended the eerie quietness. "You don't believe me," he mumbled.

Charles took a steadying breath and said softly, "Storm, Logan, if you don't mind, I think Scott and I need to have a talk together, in private."

Storm nodded in agreement for both of them while saying, "Of course, Professor." And when she stood up and Logan did not, she grabbed his arm and pulled hard. "Come on Logan," she whispered sternly to him.

He got up, but not before shooting another glare towards Scott and followed her out. Once the door was shut tightly Logan muttered, "What did he know that we didn't? And why couldn't I know? That girl attacked me, if anyone has a right to know it's me."

"Logan, the Professor knows what he's doing. He'll tells us what we need to know when we need to know it," Storm explained kindly. Then she suggested, "Why don't you take a walk around the school grounds and cool off? It's a nice day out and the fresh air will do you some good."

"Fine," he grumbled and stalked off.

"Scott, I don't understand, how can she be your daughter?" Charles asked, staring intently at him.

"It's just, I see so much of Jean in her, but I see myself as well. And I feel this connection with her," Scott told him, running his hand through his hair nervously. He smiled, lean forward and just as an excite child would tell a grown up about a secret, he whispered, "It feels like I was meant to find her after Jean's death, and help take care of her."

"But Scott-" Charles began. He was cut off by a knock on the door and Sophie entering the office. "Why hello, there," he greeted warmly.

"Hi," she replied shyly and met his gaze. Charles saw a flash of fear in her eyes, but she quickly glanced away and looked to Scott for guidance. When she and Scott looked at each other Charles could almost see a fine red string connecting them to each other, not letting the other get too far away. He knew he would not be able to talk Scott out of his believe that this young woman was his daughter.

"So, what is your name dear?" Charles asked, deciding that would be the best place to start this important conversation.

"Nig- Sophie," she answered as she sat down next to Scott, earning a smile.

"Sophie," Charles repeated to himself. "Logan told me you gave him a different name. Nightmare I believe it was." She nodded. "Why would you give yourself such a name?"

"I guess it seemed to fit," she answered.

"But why did it fit?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. I woke up one morning about three weeks ago, and they only thing I could remember about myself was the name Nightmare and how to use my powers."

"And what powers would those be?"

She looked around his desk and found a container full of paperclips. She concentrated on them and they slowly rose up. Charles nodded and continued to observe as she made the paperclips soar swiftly through the air at her. They stopped, a few inches away from her, after colliding with an invisible barrier and fell to the floor, landing softly on the carpeting.

He smiled. "So, you have telekinesis and can create a force field. Do you also have any telepathic powers?" She shook her head. "Then may I ask what is your other power, the one you didn't show me?"

"No, no other powers."

"Then could you tell me why Logan believes he raped a young girl?"

She raised her head slowly; her murky brown eyes gave him the smallest flash of her inside emotions. Pain.

"Maybe because that's just the type of person he is, a monster." It was Sophie who said it, but it was Scott's thoughts, and Charles could see the red string circling around the two, binding them, strengthen.

"Scott, would you please step outside while I'll talk to Sophie alone," he requested kindly.

"No."

"Scott, step outside."

His arm wrapped protectively around Sophie and he shook his head. She smiled with a trace of smugness. Charles focused his thoughts to her and asked politely, '_Sophie, would you please ask Scott to step outside?'_

Her body tensed at the first syllable and her face squinted in pain. '_Sophie, ask Scott to step outside_.'

His thoughts sent sharp pangs of pain down her neck and back. She pulled away from Scott's loving grip and closed her eyes, breathing deeply trying to exhale the pain and focus her thoughts.

"Sophie, are you all right?"

'_Sophie. Scott. Outside.'_

"Fine," she cried in defeat, and the pricks of pain went away. "Scott, could you step outside please. Don't worry, I'll be fine."

Scott glanced from Charles to Sophie, and shook his head. "I won't leave you."

"See, you've got a very dedicated… mentor. I'm sure he will be all right with what ever you have to say, so feel free to speak," Charles assured her, carefully observing Scott and Sophie.

"Go on Sophie, I'll be right here for you," Scott whispered.

"I can see people's greatest fear and make it happen to them," she told him quietly, looking at the ground guiltily.

"I thought as much," he commented. "What a very dangerous power you have. It must be hard to control when the person has a strong fear."

"I can stop it whenever I want to," she stated strongly, trying to diminish any thoughts of weakness Charles might have about her.

"But no one has complete control of their powers," Charles replied. "You still need some training, don't you?"

The battle lines were drawn. Charles could sense it, and so could Sophie, they were going to butt heads.

"I think I'm perfectly capable of controlling my own powers," she replied coolly.

"I am sure, but wouldn't you want to have better control?" Charles questioned. He could see the resentment building up inside her. He could feel her anger, but he could also feel her uncertainty. A part of her wanted the help, but her pride stood in the way.

"I don't think I could get that kind of help here," she retorted.

'_Neither do I,'_ he sent her telepathically, but her mind was blocked to him. He forced a smile on his face and said, "Very well. Sophie, since you are a guest here, I am going to set you up with temporary advisor, until we find you a more permanent place of residence. Scott, would you mind be her advisor for right now?" Scott shook his head. "Excellent. So Sophie, if you care to have a look around the grounds, please feel free to while I talk things over with Scott."

She nodded, gave Scott a small smile and then left without another word.

* * *

It felt strange to Sophie, to be in place where mutants were accepted. With all the gaps in her memory she couldn't be certain about many things, but she was certain about one thing, mutants were feared, hated, and prosecuted. This school went against what she knew to be both undeniable and unchangeable. It was a safe haven, that gave mutants all over the world hope, but to Sophie it just gave her disdain.

She felt trapped and suffocated here. This school was not part of the rest of the world; a bubble of idealism and optimism separated it. And Sophie just wanted to punch holes in that bubble and watch as all the hope and optimism seeped out and got murdered by all the hatred and the cruelty of the real world.

As if he could smell all her hate and resentment, Logan came up to her and sat down next to her. She turned her head and gave him a look of annoyance. He fought back with a glare that burned with his hatred.

"If you're trying to run away, you're doing a rather poor job of it," Logan stated, still glaring at her.

"Now why would I run away?" she asked eager to provoke a fight, either verbal or physical.

"Because you should be scared," he answered.

She gave him a nasty little smirk. "Of what, you?"

"As a matter of fact yes."

"Why in the world would I be afraid of a big dumb animal such as you?" she asked with malice coating every word.

"Because I kicked your ass last night," he answered smugly.

"That was a cheap shot, you came up from behind me."

"You wanna go right now and see who would win?" he challenged, getting to his feet.

She jumped up, answering, "You better believe it Wolfy."

"No telekinesis," he stated.

"No claws," she shot back.

"Fine."

"Fine."

They stood, waiting only a moment to hesitate and prepare for the fight. Both eager for the fight, both quick to fight and both unable to admit defeat, the two were almost perfect for each other. Circling each other, both searching for weak spots and both smirking. In a flash they both attacking, not allowing themselves to be caught off guard. There were a flurry of punches and kicks, grunts and groans from when contact was made. Their fight had accumulated a crowd were students began to cheer on one of their favorite teachers.

He threw a bad punch, slow and his aim was off, giving Sophie the upper hand. She taunted him, "Horrible punch, you too drunk to see straight?"

He laughed mockingly. "Even if I was drunk, I could still beat you easily, especially since you're getting tired."

She kicked him in the chest, sending him back a couple steps and stated, "Tired, who's tired? Not me."

He bounced back and sent a punch at her, that she easily dodged. "Come on, going to have to do better then that."

Before she could finish her teasing, he had her in a headlock and asked, "Got to do better then what? Come on Puss, I thought you wanted to play."

She struggled but his grip was as strong as metal, surprise, surprise. He smirked and whipped her body around like a doll. The crowded cheer, thinking Logan had won. Yet Sophie wouldn't have this. She slammed her foot on Logan's and heard him yelp in pain. She squirmed out of his grasp and sent him tumbling down to the ground with on swift kick.

The students went crazy and cheered loudly. They had never seen someone get the better of Logan and to see someone their own age to succeed where many had failed amazed them beyond belief. She grinned and glanced around. One of the few not cheering where the girl with the white streak of hair she saw last night, the phasing girl, the boy standing between them and the blue man.

Suddenly the cheering stopped and Sophie felt Logan hit her back, sending her to the ground. She turned to look up and felt Logan's blades at her neck.

The students had never been quieter. Most were silent from the shock of seeing Logan physically threaten someone their age, while others were afraid that he would actually do it.

She glanced around and whispered for just Logan to hear, "You cheated."

"There's no way you stomping on my foot would hurt that much without you using telekinesis," he replied quietly.

She smiled casually and told him, "Fine, we both cheated." Her eyes quickly darted to behind him, making her yell, "Look out."

Logan felt a force on his back, pushing him to the ground, making him eat dirt.

"Logan!" Rogue cried out and quickly rushed to him. "Logan, are you all right?"

He groaned, and rolled over. "What happen?" he asked groggily.

"Scott stop," Sophie yelled as Scott went to raise his glasses again.

"He was attacking you," Scott defended, stepping between her and the now rising Logan.

"If I had really attacked her, she would have been on the ground bleeding," Logan growled.

"I'll knock you on your ass again," Scott warned, his hand flying to glasses.

"No please," Sophie said and tugged on his arm. "Scott, let's just leave. Please."

Scott hesitated and then nodded. He wrapped his arm around her protectively and led her away. She glanced over her shoulder to see the crowd dismantle while Logan stood defensively in front of Rogue. She glanced up at Scott and smiled, feeling at ease.

Logan snarled after them and turned to Rogue. "Did Scott really hit me?" he asked not feeling any burns on him.

"You didn't feel it?" Bobby questioned. "Scott came running over and pulled down his shades. There was a red flash and as it hit you there was another big flash and the next thing we knew you were on the ground."

"It was strange," Rogue added. "It looked like something stopped it from hitting you."

It took a moment, but something clicked in Logan's mind about what helped protect him from being burned. He smirked and muttered, "She's not so bad."

"Huh?"

* * *

A/N: Slow Bobby. So I got the feeling that some people might not like Sophie, so I decided to give her a good deed of saving Logan from Scott's ocular beam. ta-da, what do you think?


	7. Realization

**A/N: **sorry, haven't updated in a while, life's been good and busy. here's my next chapter!

* * *

Staring at her, he knew. He couldn't understand how in the world he knew, but he still had that knowledge nonetheless. She was his Sophie, and no one would change that.

She smiled at him, and knew she had him.

"Scott, I want to thank you for believing me," she told him sweetly.

"The only thing I want to ask you Sophie, is how do you make people live out their fears?"

She faltered; this question was one of her biggest fear. She glanced down at the ground and told him, "I can see people's fears, when I make eye contact. It's started by just knowing exactly what to say to them to make them freak out. My powers quickly grew to the point where I could make them live their fear. I actually create a reality where their fears come to life. The rest of the world goes on with what ever it is doing, but to that person and everyone he interacts with has a different reality. My power can eventually lead to making the person so crazy they want to kill themselves."

She paused, waiting for the rejection and the hatred that always came when she explained her power.

Scott was amazed at her power. The professor was right she was very powerful. He had only heard of one other mutant that could create an alternate reality, and he could never gain control of his power. She hadn't looked at him since she started telling about her power. He smiled at her and told her, "Sounds like it took you a while to maintain your power."

"I've got a hang of it now," she replied, grinning from ear to ear with his acceptance.

"The professor wants to do some test, to see just how strong your psychic powers are, would you be okay with that?" Scott questioned.

"No." He stared at her shocked. "I- I don't like test. The whole idea of a hospital scares me."

He nodded. "All right, no test." He looked at her, trying to figure out what to say when an idea struck him. "How about we go to your apartment and get the rest of your things so you can move in properly?"

"Sure, I would like that," she answered with a smile.

Sophie stared at the scenery as Scott drove towards the city. There was a restful silence that fell on them, neither feeling the need to talk yet both had questions on their mind.

"What exactly was Logan's fear?" Scott asked.

Grinning she replied, "You really don't like him, don't you?" He shook his head. "Wolverine was afraid of what he can't remember about himself. Afraid he'll find something out that he can't handle."

"That's a strange fear," Scott mused.

"It's not really, actually," she told him. "He doesn't know what happen to make him who he is today. He's completely lost about himself and his past."

He realized his insensitivity, since Sophie was in the same boat as Logan, and quickly changed the subject. "Who was the mutant that told you about the school?"

"Just this guy I met in the park," she told him with a smile.

"A guy, huh?" Scott teased. She rolled her eyes, but he persisted. "No, tell me about him? Is he cute?"

She groaned. "He's just a friend, honestly."

"Sure, I'll take your word for it."

"Just drive the car, Scott."

"Fine."

Her apartment had enough room for a mattress and an old discarded dresser. The beige paint was chipping, making this room even duller. The brightest part of this room was the curtains around the tiny window; pink and orange stripes against an ice blue, almost white, background. He looked down at the mattress and noticed the bedspread matched the curtains.

Sophie moved over to her dresser and open up the drawer as Scott muttered, "Homey."

She glanced at him and defended, "I'm sure I could have fixed it up if I had a little bit more time and more effort."

"You don't have to worry about that anymore, the mansion comes fully furnished," Scott informed her.

"Something tells me I shouldn't get too comfortable at the mansion," Sophie mumbled to herself.

"Why?"

"I don't think I'm very welcomed there," she answered.

"As long as I'm at the mansion, you'll always have a home there," he told her, smiling. Then he added, "In fact, I was thinking that when we get back to the mansion you might want to get adopted by me."

She dropped her bag and turned to Scott. He was turning out to be full of surprises, shattering many people's misconceptions. She just stared at him, not sure what brought this sudden decision on, and had every intention to question him on it but instead asked, "So does this mean I can be Sophie Summers instead of just Sophie?"

Relief and happiness came over him. He embraced her in a hug and responded, "Yes, you could take what ever name you want."

There was a rapid knock on her door breaking the tender moment. She put up and finger to signal him to wait, and then without saying a word she went over to the door and opened it up for a few seconds and then shut it again.

Scott stared at her quizzically, but nearly jumped a foot when a voice beside him said, "About time you got back."

Scott glanced to his side and saw a boy only a year older then Sophie and just barely taller then her. The thing that about this boy's appearance that struck Scott the most was his silver hair slicked back, his icy blue eyes and what looked like a metal collar around his neck. She smirked at him and replied, "I don't move faster then light."

"Excuses, excuses," he commented, but then got serious. "They know."

She didn't question it. "What should I do?"

"Leave." He zoomed to the door. He turned and told her, "Don't let them know."

He jabbed his head towards Scott and then ran off in a blink of an eye.

Scott just stared, trying to comprehend what happened. "Who was that?"

"Quicksilver."

"Who did he mean by 'they'?"

She didn't answer him, just kept packing. "Sophie, who did he mean?"

From her dealings with people in the past she knew she shouldn't tell him, or at least lie to him. He wouldn't understand, he couldn't understand, but still a tiny fraction of her conscience told her to trust him since he did want to adopt her.

"I needed help to survive, and at the time I didn't realize what accepting their help would mean," she explained not turning to face him. "But I decided not to do it."

Scott stared at her, about to ask what they wanted when there was another knock on the door. She walked over and opened the door. She stared blankly at Quicksilver, who for some reason had not zoomed into her apartment.

"Well, can I come in?" he asked.

"Why are you even bothering to ask? Just come in."

Quicksilver entered, while his eyes scanned over the room, stopping at Scott. Quicksilver's icy blue eyes traced all over Scott and took him in. His relaxed manner, where his hands were and how fast they could shoot up to his glasses seemed to relax Quicksilver. Quicksilver stared at the black red shades for a moment and then saw Sophie packing. "Where do you think you're going?"

She stopped and turned to him. Staring him down quizzically, she replied, "You know better then to ask me that."

"Nightmare, you can't just leave," he told her quickly.

If Sophie had hearing like Logan's she would have heard the metal lock to her door click open. Is she hadn't been so focused staring at Quicksilver, trying to figure out the sudden change in character, she would have seen the chain across her door slide by itself and the dropped, leaving the door free to be opened.

"Sophie, step back!" Scott cried, as Quicksilver lunged at her. His hand flew up to his glasses and sent a blast to Quicksilver. Sophie stared at her only friend on the ground morph into a strangely beautiful, blue, woman.

As Mystique awoke from her brief bit of darkness, Sophie ran to her and demanded, "Where's Quicksilver?"

"Sophie get away from her, she's dangerous," Scott warned, his hand still on his glasses ready for an attack.

Sophie ignored him, disregarding his wise advice. "Mystique, what happened to Quicksilver?"

Mystique smirked at her and responded, "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Rage filled Sophie's body, rage at Mystique, rage at all the things she had to do survive, and rage at the things she must have done to get to this point. And with just one simple thought Mystique went flying through the air.

"Now where is he?" Mystique just laughed at her, but before she could make her pay for her laughter Sophie felt her body being tugged up and swung around to meet a pair of cold, harsh blue eyes with more power behind them than she could had ever imagined before she meet Charles Xavier.

"Leave her alone Magneto," Scott yelled, more then ready for an attack.

"Calm down Cyclops," Magneto told him causally. "For the time being this does not concern you."

"Put me down Magneto," Sophie requested, as she was being held in the air just by the metal in her belt.

"My dear Nightmare, I would think that you had realized you've got no right to ask me any _more _favors," Magneto informed her.

Scott glared at him, hatred soaring through his body, angered at Magneto for talking to his Sophie like that. His fingered twitched on his glasses, an act noticed by Magneto.

"Go ahead and shoot," Magneto taunted. He forced Sophie to face Scott, using her as a shield and said, "I'm sure there's a chance you'll miss this poor girl."

"Magneto, leave the girl out of it," Scott argued. "It's not her you want."

"What has she been telling you?" Magneto asked, with a knowing smile. He swung Sophie around, facing him. "Apparently I don't want you. Nightmare, have you been spinning lies?"

Scott sneered at him and yelled, "Magneto, let her go!"

Magneto glanced over at the insignificant bug, but turn back to his toy. "You didn't do as you were told."

"Why should I have?" she replied.

"Let me show you why," Magneto said and raised his hand, beginning his show.

"Stop it!" Scott screamed, his hand about to pull off his glasses, but blue ones stopped him.

"Don't disturb him while he's working," Mystique whispered, holding Scott's hands in her strong grasp.

"Let me go!" Scott demanded, struggling to get free.

Metal flew across the room, fusing together and wrapping around Sophie's neck. She panic and tried to scratch off the metal, her effort futile. As she gripped at her metal accessory, Magneto taunted, "Don't bother my dear, that won't come off till I decide it comes off. Why don't I bring out a friend to show you what this little necklace can do?"

With a fluid movement of his arm, Magneto dragged Quicksilver out by his own metal collar. He clutched at his tightening necklace, gasping for air. Sophie watched as his eyes started to roll into the back of his head, and she couldn't take it anymore. She focused her energy on Magneto, and managed to knock him down.

Mystique hissed, gripping Scott tighter since it was the only thing she could do. Quicksilver was dropped, and he could breathe again. He glanced up at his savior, thankful for what she did for him, but afraid for her as well. Magneto stood, regaining his stance, smirking at Sophie.

"So, you wish to challenge me little girl?"

"Let her go, take me instead," Scott bargained eagerly.

Magneto squeezed the metal collar around Sophie's neck, just tight enough to make breathing difficult, and turned to Scott.

"Why?" Scott appeared stunned, so Magneto clarified. "Why would you give your freedom for this girl? Isn't it obvious that she was sent to destroy Xavier's precious X Men? I sent her to kill Wolverine and destroy as many as you as possible. So why?"

Scott stared at Sophie, her brown eyes filled with pain and Scott knew the answer. "Three reasons, she didn't do what you wanted, she has my eyes and I would do anything for my family."

Magneto looked amused. He had never expected this when he sent Sophie after the X Men. One of her prey had grown an attachment to her and whether this was of her own doing or of Scott's free will, Magneto did not know. Yet it was still amusing.

"Very touching Cyclops, but I already have you and as for your family, just who do you think she is?" Magneto questioned, genuinely interested.

Part of Scott knew that him admitting his thoughts about Sophie was the only thing keeping her alive. "She's my daughter," Scott answered.

"I was unaware you and Jean reproduced," Magneto stated. "I'm sorry I missed the birth, the christening and apparently about twenty birthdays"

"Don't mock him," Sophie warned, still struggling for breath.

"Why is that little girl? Will you tell your daddy on me?"

She stood, still clutching the tight collar, and replied, "Don't you see how he's staring at you? That's hatred and rage in his eyes. And if my dad's looks could kill, you'd be pushing up daisies."

Magneto looked at Scott out of curiosity to see if Sophie was right. This was a mistake. Scott's glasses slide down, and Magneto got a full blast. Scott's glasses were back on before he could blink.

Before either Sophie or Scott could take advantage of Magneto's moment of weakness, he had risen again and choker was tighter then ever. Angry burned in his eyes and he was ready to kill her, but he got a better idea.

"If you want a fight, then I will give you a fight," Magneto said, giving into her actions and released his magnetic hold on her. She rubbed her neck and stood up, reading herself for a fight. "Oh, but you should know that I always have some loyal followers with me. Sabertooth, Toad, Pyro, why don't you come out to play with Nightmare?"

Sophie watched as an enormous fierce cat crept in, a strange green man hopped in after him, flicking his long tongue threatening, and a teen age boy playing with his lighter came in last. Sophie stared at the three, having met each one of them before, knew they would have no problem killing her. She glanced back at Scott where he struggled against Mystique's hold. He was worried about Sophie, and she couldn't blame him. She was about to fight some the most unmerciful mutants out there.

She was overcome by a sudden sense of dread, knowing she wouldn't win this fight and then Scott would be in real trouble. Her mind called out to the only person she could think of that could possibly help Scott after she lost. _Xavier!_


End file.
